A conventional vehicle is equipped with an input device including an in-vehicle display unit having a display surface. The display surface indicates multiple button icons (selective area) being arranged for accepting input. In addition, the display surface indicates a pointer in order to select one of the button icons. According to such a configuration, a user is enabled to manipulate an operation knob to move the pointer. When the pointer is on a button icon, the button icon is in a selected state. A user makes a determination input on the button icon in the selected state thereby to execute a control processing corresponding to the button icon. The operation knob may be a joystick type device, a cross-shaped key device having buttons in the cross direction, or the like. In these devices, the moving speed of the pointer is determined according to a tilt angle of the joystick, a push duration time of the cross-shaped key device, or the like.
It is noted that, when a user intends to select a small button icon in such a device, the pointer may pass over the small button icon quickly. Consequently, a user cannot select a small button icon easily. Contrary, when a user intends to pass the pointer through a large button icon, a long waiting time is required. Consequently, a user may feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, when the pointer passes through a section other than the button icon, a meaningless waiting time is also required. Furthermore, when a user uses a joystick type device, the user may manipulate a tilt angle of the joystick to change an operation quantity of the joystick. Thus, the user can change the moving speed of the pointer. When the user intends to pass through a large button icon and a section between two adjacent button icons, the user may tilt the joystick by a large angle to pass the pointer through the large button icon or the section quickly. In this case, when a small button icon is located beyond the large button icon or the section, the user may pass the pointer over the small button icon quickly due to excessive moving speed of the pointer caused when passing through the large button icon or the section. Consequently, the user cannot select the small, button icon easily.
For example, JP-A-5-73206 discloses a configuration in which moving speed of a pointer is changed in a certain region. JP-A-5-11-85402 discloses a configuration in which a region is divided into small regions, and moving speed of the pointer is changed according to the number of the buttons in each of the small regions. JP-A-5-5-249941 discloses a configuration in which moving speed of a pointer is reduced inside a button icon. It is noted that all JP-A-5-73206, JP-A-11-85402, and JP-A-5-249941 are irrelevant to a configuration configured to restrict a pointer from passing over a small button icon and reduce a waiting time when a pointer passes through a large button icon.